And what a weekend it was! I first mentioned it in an earlier post, find it here. This was the second fantasy/science fiction convention I've attended. Both events were organised by my amazing publisher, Dan Grubb of Fantastic Books Publishing. The first was in Hull, last year. This year's event took place in the Country …
Continue reading A Weekend at #FantastiCon 2015.
This book, as the subtitle suggests, is the beginning of a story. For me, it is, as with so many 'books' in the current market, not what I understand to be a book. It's a scene setter. It follows a marketing technique that's been used in other industries for years but one I feel is …
Continue reading The Island (Part 1), by Michael Stark, Reviewed.
My publisher, Fantastic Books Publishing has published my science fiction novella, The Methuselah Strain in a limited edition hardback version alongside the digital version. The book, all copies of which will be signed by yours truly, is due for launch tomorrow, 24th October at Fantasticon 2015. See the previous blog post, here, for full details …
Continue reading Launch of The Methuselah Strain in Hardback
What is it? It's a different kind of fantasy/scifi/gaming convention open to anyone and everyone with an interest in these popular topics. A place to take part, rather than simply a market place (though there are things to buy for those who want them, of course). And if you're a Dr Who fan, you'll find …
Continue reading Fantastic Fantasticon 2015:
Fantasy embraces many styles, subjects and themes. This short is a great example of what can be done when a writer has imagination. It's a piece with charm. Amusing, insightful, and caustic, it pokes fun at the idea of leaders. There's some repetition, and one or two small editing faults, but these are easily forgiven …
Continue reading The King of Fools, by M.R. Mathias, Reviewed.
Many writers welcome the sharing of ideas that might improve our craft. So, let's chop the fat from our writing. Make it lean and trim. Readers will thank us. In this series, I'll look at some common redundancies and other questionable writing devices. But, reading this and nodding wisely in agreement won't do. We need …
Continue reading Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 03.
This is a science fiction short based on the Oolite space trading game. No, I'd never heard of it, either. But you don't need to be familiar with this created Ooniverse to understand and enjoy this clever tale. It's a multi-layered piece, with many themes, in spite of its brevity. But it can also be …
Continue reading Nine, by Drew Wagar, Reviewed.
Modern readers may find this short novel too wordy, which is a shame, as it's a well-told story. But it is undeniably written in the style of its age, with a good deal of description and not a great amount of action. The central characters are all very fully drawn and their interactions are beautifully …
Continue reading The Man Whom the Trees Loved, by Algernon Blackwood, Reviewed.
Many writers welcome the sharing of ideas that might improve our craft. So, let's chop the fat from our writing. Make it lean and trim. Readers will thank us. In this series, I'll look at some common redundancies. (I had hoped someone perspicacious might point out that the first post title in this series used …
Continue reading Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 02.
Here it is: the hardback print version of my science fiction novella, The Methuselah Strain. All copies will be signed. Dan Grubb, owner of Fantastic Books Publishing, suggested we launch this at the great fantasy/scifi event, Fantasticon 2015, in the region where I was born. It takes place over the weekend of 24/25 October in …
Continue reading The Methuselah Strain in Hardback.
Raising money for  Action for M.E. Charity Registration No. 1036419 Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) is a disabling and chronic illness, devastating the lives of 250,000 people in the UK. Action for M.E. provides support and information for those touched by M.E., and campaigns for better services and invests in research to ultimately find a cure. I'm …
Continue reading Running for ME/CFS no. 50 and #Free Books
A short announcement. The dystopian science fiction novella, The Methuselah Strain, will soon be available in print form. Copies will all be signed. This is a limited print run, so you'll need to get your order in quickly. The book isn't launched yet, but you can pre-order by clicking on this link. More on this …
Continue reading Science Fiction in Print
This dystopian science fiction novel grips from the start. Set in the not-too-distant future, it portrays a world devastated by plague. The few inhabitants left alive display all the emotions, characteristics and personality types that exist in the real world, so it's easy to empathise with the players here. The story is different from many …
Continue reading Monster of the Apocalypse, by C. Henry Martens, Reviewed.
This story sits well within the sub-genre of magical fantasy. There are the wizards and amulets, thieves, hill-folk, princesses and queens associated with the genre. The tale is well told, with plenty of action and a good deal of well-handled romance in the various relationships. For me, however, it is a little formulaic and reminded …
Continue reading The Demon King, by Cinda Williams Chima, Reviewed.
Way back in 2014, that's last year in case you're not sure, I was writing fairly regularly and working on a couple of projects. But, in the middle of that year, we made a momentous decision: we would move house from our domain of 14 years and settle in an area of the country where …
Continue reading A Renewed Regime.
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Antidote to the Novel
Stuart Aken 